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South Indian · Indian

Chammanthi podi (Kerala roasted coconut chutney powder)

Vegetarian

ചമ്മന്തിപ്പൊടി · cammantippoṭi

Grated coconut slowly roasted with shallots, ginger, curry leaves, dried chillies and urad dal until deep brown and dry, then ground with tamarind and salt to a crumbly, smoky powder. Kerala's keeping chutney for rice, kanji, idli and travel.

Chammanthi podi (Kerala roasted coconut chutney powder) is a South Indian condiment, ready in about 1 hour and made with coconut and dried whole chillies. It serves 12 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Rest
20 min
Total
1 h
Serves
12
Level
Easy
Calories
65

Ingredients

12 servings (about 12 g)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Grate the coconut (opens in a new tab), slice the shallots (opens in a new tab) thinly, chop the ginger and pull the tamarind (opens in a new tab) into small bits, removing seeds and fibres.

    Grating on a box grater
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Put the coconut (opens in a new tab), shallots (opens in a new tab), ginger, curry leaves (opens in a new tab), dried chillies and urad (opens in a new tab) dal into a wide, heavy frying pan (with the oil if the coconut is dry). Roast over medium-low heat, stirring and scraping constantly, for 18–22 minutes. It goes from white to golden to an even deep reddish-brown, the shallots crisp and the mixture turns dry and fragrant.

    Lower the heat towards the end; coconut goes from brown to burnt quickly.

  3. Step 3

    Add the tamarind (opens in a new tab) for the last 2 minutes so it dries and softens. Spread the mixture on a plate and cool completely, about 20 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Grind with the salt in short pulses, without water, to a coarse, crumbly powder. The coconut oil (opens in a new tab) makes it clump slightly; break it up with a fork.

  5. Step 5

    Store in a dry, airtight jar. Serve as is, or mixed with a little coconut oil (opens in a new tab).

About this dish

Origin
Kerala, India · Commonly attributedA traditional Kerala preparation; recipes vary on urad dal and ginger. Roasting until deep brown and dry is what makes it keep.More food from India
Dish
Breakfast · Lunch · Condiments, chutneys & relishes
Cooking method
Toasted
Taste
smoky, nutty, spicy (chilli heat), tangy
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb
Without the optional extras: Paleo-styleWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead · Portable / lunchbox · Batch cooking
Cook more with
Coconut · Dried whole chillies · Shallot · Fresh ginger · Curry leaves · Tamarind
Techniques
Toasting · Spice roasting (dry-roasting)

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

65 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 13 g · recipe makes 12

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 4%
  • Carbohydrate 22%
  • Fat 74%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy65 kcal518 kcal
Protein0.7 g5.8 g
Carbohydrate3.8 g30.7 g
Net carbohydrate2.1 g16.5 g
Sugars1.5 g12 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre1.8 g14.2 g
Fat5.6 g45.2 g
Saturated fat5 g39.7 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium166 mg1325 mg
Salt equivalent0.4 g3.3 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
91 mg
Calcium
4 mg
Iron
0.5 mg
Magnesium
8 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
7 µg
Vitamin C
1 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
6 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: black gram (urad dal), coconut oil.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): curry leaves.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Patience is everything: it must be properly brown and dry, or it will go rancid in days.
  • Desiccated coconut works in a pinch; sprinkle with 2 tbsp water first and roast for less time.

Common mistakes

  • Stopping at golden — under-roasted chammanthi podi keeps poorly and tastes raw.
  • Grinding while warm, which makes it pasty and clumpy.

Serve with

  • Serve with kanji, rice and moru (buttermilk) curry, or sprinkle on idli, dosa and puttu with coconut oil.
  • Pack with rice for train journeys and school lunches.

Food safety

  • Store in a scrupulously clean, completely dry jar (sterilise it in boiling water or a low oven and let it dry fully) and always use a dry spoon; moisture is what spoils chutneys, podis and pickles.

Storage

  • Keeps 2–3 weeks airtight at room temperature, 2 months in the fridge.

Variations

  • Unakka chemmeen chammanthi podi: Adds roasted dried prawns for a coastal version.
  • Without urad dal: The simplest version: coconut, chilli, shallot, curry leaves, tamarind and salt only.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

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Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

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What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3

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